There are so many stories in my family tree. I'll never be able to research them all.
I've had family who've been in the US pre-Revolution.
I have immigrants who came to the country in just the last few generations.
Some were royalty.
Some were sharecroppers.
I've got ancestors from Scottish clan Wallace (Maybe "Uncle" William that might explain why I'm sometime a rebel).
I have a relative named Thankful (a good reminder).
I have both Friends and Mennonites in my family.
One of my ancestors was a founder of Brown University and one Penn State.
I think what really fascinates me is the story that goes with each person. I can never know the full extent of those relatives life, but I can piece together bits of them.
The great-grandmother, Sarah, who I just confirmed is biologically my ancestor (see Move Over Trixie Belden) was a single girl working in as a housekeeper. My married great-grandfather worked for the railroad and traveled to her town as part of his job. He adopted their baby with his wife. Sarah went home and went to nursing school. She never married and lived with a single sister for the bulk of her adult life. When her sister died, she lived there alone.
And I can't help but wonder how giving up her daughter weighed on her. How it impacted the rest of her life. She inspired Carry Her Heart in a way. And the sequel, Hold Her Heart, was my love-of-HEAs attempt to give her a better ending.
Yes, for me, researching my family tree is a way to tell my own story and discover the stories of those who came before me.
Each of my family tree's branches came from somewhere else. Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England, Germany. That means each branch has a person who gave up everything they knew, climbed on a boat and sailed to America. Some came when the country wasn't a country yet. They helped fight for our right to self-rule. Some came far later. But each one gave up everything for the chance at a fresh start—for a chance to build a better life for their children. As a mom, I admire their strength and optimism and hope that if needs be I could echo it. There's nothing—nothing—I wouldn't do for my kids. Nothing.
And I owe each of my ancestors a debt of thanks, because I love Erie, I love Pennsylvania and I love the US. I love my life. None of that would have been possible if they hadn't been brave enough to sail into the unknown and optimistic enough to believe they were sailing towards a better life for themselves and future generations.
Yes, for me, genealogy all comes down to the stories. Each new discovery brings a new branch and a new story to delve into.
Each of us makes choices and builds our own life, but I think it's important to remember we stand on the backs for those who came before us. We stand on the strength and optimism of those who came to this country looking for a better life.
I hope that I've done them all proud!
Holly
PS Check out my summer of Rom Com:
